Q. I’m a college junior majoring in accounting, but have become interested in PR due to a marketing class that was taught by an adjunct who’s had an interesting PR career. If I switch majors next semester, I will need to add another semester to my four years in school. Is it worth the extra semester or can I break into PR with an accounting major? -BM
A. Congratulations on identifying the career path you wish to follow. You have at least two good options. If you enjoy accounting, you might simply want to add PR as a minor, and be sure to spend the next year and a half building your resume of PR-related extra-curricular activities. That might be the easiest and cheapest approach, and it certainly would separate you from others (myself included) who avoid anything to do with math. An accounting major with PR minor or double major would set you up nicely for agency or corporate jobs that focus on financial communications. If you prefer brand and promotional PR, then more classes in PR would be helpful; therefore, the extra semester is appropriate.
There’s nothing wrong with an extra semester in college. I was so involved in extra-curricular activities that an additional semester was required. Like now, I graduated into the recession of the ’70s and found the extra semester also was a good way to mark time until jobs became more plentiful. However, a semester of college was a lot cheaper back then. Good luck with your decision.